After a warm start to the week, Northern California is getting ready for the next winter storm to move in.
This storm will be stronger and colder than the last, as it moves in Wednesday through Thursday with moderate to heavy rain, heavy mountain snow, gusty winds, and thunderstorms. Significant mountain travel impacts are expected as feet of snow fill in across the Sierra.
The active pattern will continue through the weekend with a few more storms behind Wednesday.
After a quiet, sunny Tuesday, rain begins overnight and fills in by Wednesday morning. Many will first notice the clouds and the breezy winds on Tuesday evening before the storm arrives.
Once the storm moves in, moderate to heavy rain is expected through the afternoon and evening from the valley to the foothills as the bulk of the storm moves through.
Heavy rain and gusty winds will impact Wednesday's commute with areas of minor flooding possible.
A Wind Advisory has been issued starting at 8 p.m. Tuesday through 11 p.m. Wednesday as gusts up to 55 mph will be possible in the valley, with gusts up to 65 mph in the Sierra.
Wednesday evening into Thursday morning, showers and thunderstorms will linger, while the pulse of heavy precipitation will shift south and east, bringing several inches of rain and mountain snow to the mountains and foothills.
The heaviest rain will be picked up in the Sacramento Valley and surrounding foothills, while the San Joaquin Valley can expect up to 1'' of rain at most.
The foothills and portions of the Sierra can expect up to 3'' of precipitation in some of the heaviest hit areas.
How much will it snow in the Sierra?
With heavy snow returning to the Sierra on Wednesday, travel is strongly discouraged as snow rates begin to pick up Wednesday morning creating white-out conditions at times.
As the storm moves in, snow levels will begin around 6,000-5,000' before dropping by Thursday morning to 2,500- 3,000'.
Once the bulk of the storm arrives, snowfall rates of 2-3 inches an hour will be possible and combined with wind gusts up to 65 mph, travel will become difficult to impossible at times.
A Winter Storm Warning will go into effect starting at 11 p.m. on Tuesday through 11 p.m. on Thursday.
We're expecting the heaviest snow to stay above 4,000' in elevation. Yet, some foothill areas like Grass Valley and Placerville can't be surprised to wake up to a light dusting by Thursday morning as snow levels drop.
Above 6,000' snow amounts will range from one to four feet of snow impacting mountain passes.
The snow comes at the perfect time for Northern California as the region falls short on snowpack. This storm should help to boost statewide snowpack but won't put us over 100 percent of normal, which is where we'd like to be before spring officially begins.
The bulk of the storm system will shift to the east by Thursday, but a few lingering showers and isolated thunderstorms will be possible.
Snow will stay steady over the Sierra, especially over mountain passes by Thursday morning. Chain controls are likely to stay up through the majority of the day on Thursday.
The valley and foothills will begin to see some breaks and peaks of sun by the afternoon, fueling thunderstorm development.
Any storms that develop on Thursday will bring brief heavy rain, gusty winds, small hail, lightning, and a possible funnel cloud.
Make sure to keep an eye on the sky and keep outdoor plans limited.
More storms to come
We'll watch as storm number one clears out by Thursday night into early Friday, but it'll be a short-lived break as storm number two quickly moves in by Friday afternoon.
This storm will be slightly weaker and contain less precipitation, but will bring another round of rain and snow to Northern California. Brief heavy rain and snow will be possible.
Snow levels start low around 1,500-2,500' on Friday morning, rising to 4,000-5,000' by the evening.
This storm does come with gusty winds, especially for the Sierra with gusts above 60 mph again.
Rain showers and snow will linger into early Saturday before clearing by the afternoon.
The weekend looks mainly dry aside from a few lingering showers Saturday morning. Saturday and Sunday will feature partly cloudy skies and mild temperatures. Saturday will be the pick of the weekend with mostly sunny skies and highs in the 60s.
By Sunday evening, the next storm will begin to approach. Bringing another round of rain and snow as early as Sunday night through the day on Monday.
The latest model runs have changed the timing and track of this storm system, so make sure to stay with the CBS News Sacramento's First Alert Weather team as we keep you updated on how much more rain and snow we can expect by next week.
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